Identity Disguised
Pagati Veshalu is a popular theatre form in Telangana and the Krishna
district of Andhra
Pradesh. Over the period it evolved as a deviation from the
mainstream folk theatrical performance. 'Pagati Veshalu' (artists) enacts
different characters by donning a costume and assuming another's role. The
roles enacted are chosen from cross-section of the society who become the
butts of ridicule of the performers, but all in good humour.
In each performance the role revolves around a single episode consisting
of a prominent "vesham" (disguise) and other less important
characters. They perform it consequently for four to five days and each
day's performance centres around one character. It is a total performance
of music,
dance,
speech, mime and bodily movements.